Transportation for the Masses

There are several factors in the development of cities that have long-term effects. The infrastructure of roads and highways are essential to the success and potential growth of progressive metropolis, as well as the ability to provide reasonable access to public transportation. During our visit to Bangalaru, one of India's most populated cities in which Electronic City is located where Information Technology Companies like Infosys, Hewllett-Packard, and Wipro all have profit centers. We experienced a city that is under construction and will be ready for the coming decade aiming to improve traffic fluidity and mobility.

The Indian Government highly subsidizes public transportation for the common man. We wanted to see this for ourselves. During our stop in Chennai we had one of our most eye opening experiences (cultural shock) when we were a among the masses and used the train and bus to get around the city. Up to that point we had been traveling in comfortable tourist buses. I do not think any one of us was prepared for what we witnessed on that day. I noticed that the public transportation in India is so well subsidized for the common man that it cost us only 3 Rupees (approximately less than 7 US cents) to travel for a minimum of 20 kilometers, both on the train and on the bus , an incredibly inexpensive fare.

On Saturday January 8th, during the afternoon we decided to leave the hotel and go explore Chennai, to be among the masses. Some of us did not believe we were doing this and I think some of the locals did not believe it either. It was definitely new territory for us, we felt like celebrities the way they were looking at us. In order to get in the train we all needed to push each other to make sure no one was left behind. There is absolutely no 'elbow' room on the train. Once we arrived at the location and stepping out of a suffocating experience, we stepped out into the fleet market where the common people go to shop. Taking into account people were shopping for the national festival Pongal which was coming the following week. The fleet market was an alley way approximately one mile long in which thousands bargained for the best deals. I could not believe the number of people that were in front of me, around me, I was in awe. After walking through the suffocating fleet market, we regrouped and decided to go to the mall, so we took a bus. We walked to the bus terminal where people push each other to make sure they get inside the buses. Take a look below...

India is making strides to provide its citizens with better public transportation. We saw a metro being build in Bangalore, new highways in Chennai and Hyderabad. The government realizes that these concerns need to be addressed in order to improve the traffic congestion. India's population will only increase so improving the public transit system will positively benefit the country in the long-term.